Srinagar, Jan 30 (Reporter) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday announced a hike in the monthly honorarium for Special Police Officers (SPOs) in the union territory. The SPOs are the low-paid part-time employees who do a variety of jobs in the J&K Police. The chief minister Abdullah announced the hike of SPO honorarium in a social media post. “ Delighted to announce a hike in SPO honorarium for Jammu and Kashmir,” Omar said. Under the new scheme, the newly recruited SPOs will receive Rs 12,000 per month. The SPOs with five years of service will be paid Rs 18,000 per month and those completing 10 years will receive Rs 24,000 per month. The SPOs with over 15 years of service will be entitled to Rs 30,000 per month. In the previous scheme of things the SPOs monthly wages ranged between Rs 6000 to Rs 18,000. According to sources there are over 35,000 SPOs in the J&K police and there has been a persistent demand from several quarters to regularize their services. Over the last two decades, the SPOs have even been performing law and order duty and also remained part of anti militancy operations. At least 500 SPOs have been killed by militants over the last two decades...////...